SMEW 2024

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Keynote Session: Product design today, an essential for circularity

05 Jun 2024
Design & Innovation Theatre
DESIGN & INNOVATON THEATRE

Product design plays a crucial role in fostering circularity in manufacturing. Material selection and understanding are key for effective recycling. Thoughtful design choices can lead to more sustainable products, less waste, and better business results. We need a future where design and lifecycle analysis drive innovation and environmental responsibility, emphasizing durability, repairability, and modularity to extend product lifecycles, reducing disposal frequency and promoting circularity. 

  • Consumer behaviour - how it impacts circularity and design choices.  

  • Prioritising sustainability can shift consumer preferences away from linear consumption patterns.  

  • Designers must consider second-life applicability and integrate recycled materials.  

  • Policymakers should incentivise durable, reusable product ecosystems while disincentivizing single-use models.  

  • Standards bodies must develop robust circularity metrics and labelling to track progress.  

With coordinated efforts across the value chain - from designers to consumers, corporations to policymakers - we can transition towards circular production systems that are regenerative by design. 

Speakers
Geoff Mackey, UK Country Head - Plastics Europe
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